WWF Superstars (November 27, 1993)

Original Airdate: November 27, 1993 (taped November 10)

From Delhi, New York; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Stan Lane

The Steiner Brothers v Steve Smith and Lavern Gill: Kind of hilarious that Reo Rogers was gone after just one week. I’m kind of surprised, to be honest, as usually Vince just digs his heels in. Lane wasn’t great, but at least he didn’t make me want to Van Gogh my ears. The Brothers with the flying bulldog combo at 2:11. Poor Smith looked legitimately terrified in there with these two bullies. ¼*

Gorilla Monsoon is in the control center with Update, announcing that a tournament will be held to crown a WWF Women’s Champion with about as much excitement as someone might display while ordering meatloaf in a diner. Meanwhile, Owen Hart calls in, and he doesn’t want to be referred to as Bret Hart’s ‘brother’ any longer. Why are the still photos they’re showing from some other show instead of Survivor Series? 

Razor Ramon v Mike Khoury: The WWF Intercontinental title is not on the line here. Ramon’s pink gear was always one of his best. Vince is very excited because Razor 'always has fun’ in the ring. “He’s smiling all the time!” Boy, he just can’t help himself, can he? Razor’s lucky he never got the WWF Title, McMahon would have Diesel’d him. Razor’s Edge finishes at 2:28. DUD

Jim Ross is in the studio for Face to Face, and he does his best to make Survivor Series sound like it was an interesting show. Points for effort Jim, points for effort. His guests this week are Bret Hart, Adam Bomb, and Harvey Wippleman. Kind of odd, as they’re setting up a match between them, and while they did do a few matches on the house shows, those took place before this episode even aired. Setting up matches that already happened seems like a weird use of TV time

Lex Luger does a PSA for drugs and the staying off of them

Adam Bomb v Mike Bucci: We have a kid from the crowd doing guest ring announcing, which is something I dreamed about getting picked for as a kid. Or, fuck it, now. Vince seems obsessed with saying Bucci’s surname over and over until it loses all meaning. Bomb with a poweradam at 1:44. DUD

Survivor Series Encore ad

Raymond Rougeau brings Santa Claus out for an interview, though sadly this is not the WWF debut of Mick Foley, but rather some department store ho ho ho. This is less an ‘interview’ than Santa inviting kids to sit on his lap, and giving them toys from the merchandise catalog. Can we go back to hyping matches after the fact instead? Please?

Merchandise Catalog ad. Based on the stuff shown, it seems Hulk Hogan, Undertaker, and Bret Hart were their biggest stars at the time

Shawn Michaels v Dan Dubiel: Shawn is still walking around with the Intercontinental title, despite no longer being recognized as the champion. Well, that was building to something, at least. Michaels gets on the microphone to clarify that this is a non-title bout, in a funny bit. Diesel is nowhere to be seen, oddly. Michaels with a piledriver at 1:44. Shawn already looks more motivated and in shape than he did before his suspension. ¼*

Doink the Clown v Sid Garrison: Vince hypes up a poster magazine that will feature Doink ‘as you’ve never seen him before.’ I’m afraid to even find out what that could possibly mean. McMahon also announces that President Jack Tunney has ruled that there can no longer be more than one Doink, so Doink debuts Dink here in response. Checkmate, Tunney. Ya fuck. Garrison chases Dink around before the bell, giving us some comedy spots with Sid tripping over himself all over the place. The Whoopie Cushion puts this away at 0:59. DUD

Jeff Jarrett vignette

Crush v Paul Jones: Crush may not have been anything special as a heel, but at least he made an effort by not only changing his whole look, but changing his moveset too. Crush with the headvice at 1:58. DUD

Ross is back with another Face to Face with WWF Tag Team Champion Jacques and Johnny Polo, who are complaining that they have to wrestle ‘the stupid Steiner Brothers.’ Yeah, just ask Steve Smith

Music video with highlights from today’s episode. Boy, they were really hurting for content this week, huh?

BUExperience: I know it was kind of standard practice at the time, but the fact that this was taped weeks before Survivor Series took place (and that this is only the first episode from this cycle) leads me to believe that we’re in for some really weak episodes for the next few weeks.